Experience matters

Dobbs runs for Prosecuting Attorney

October 31, 2012

Two years ago when Pam Dobbs ran for Houghton County Prosecuting Attorney, she ran under the Democratic Party ballot; however, this election she will be running as a Republican in the hopes of increasing voter participation and awareness.

Dobbs and current Houghton County Prosecutor Michael Makinen both ran as Democrats and as a result the race was completed in the primary and less than 2,000 people voted.

"The judge's race is nonpartisan and it is my feeling that this position should also be nonpartisan," said Dobbs. "The prosecuting attorney represents the people of Houghton County. They don't just represent 2,000 Democrats, they represent the entire population."

Article Photos

Ashley Curtis/Daily Mining GazettePam Dobbs, attorney, is running for Houghton County Prosecuting Attorney in the Nov. 6 election. Dobbs currently operates her own private practice office in Houghton.

In determining who should be elected, she hopes voters will look at the candidate's records and abilities.

While serving as an attorney for the past 30 years, Dobbs has been able to work in various capacities.

"I worked as a prosecuting attorney (in New Mexico) for eight years. Five years of that time, I prosecuted strictly drug cases. The rest of the time, I supervised the office and handled general criminal cases," said Dobbs.

Before moving to Houghton, she also served as a defense attorney for two years and has operated a private practice in Houghton for nearly four years. Although she enjoys serving as an attorney, Dobbs was most fond of her role as prosecuting attorney.

"I enjoy working as a prosecuting attorney. I enjoy being able to work with law enforcement and the community to put a case together from the early investigative stages to the conclusion," she explained of her job satisfaction.

Although dealing with court cases can be intimidating, Dobbs hopes that she can help individuals or families weed through the complexities.

"I became an attorney because I wanted to be able to help people manuever through a system that most people don't understand and to get things resolved the way that they need to be solved," Dobbs said.

A prosecuting attorney's role is to not only issue plea bargains, but also to help decide if a perpetrator should plead or be taken to trial and have the drive to see the decision through to the end.

"The community needs to know that the prosecuting attorney is willing to take a case all the way, that he or she will fight for the victims and police officers, and that the final resolution of the case will be the justice the prosecuting attorney is charged to seek," said Dobbs.

If elected, her goal is to make communication with community members and law enforcement officials a priority.

"I intend to go out to the communities and meet with law enforcement officials in their own locations rather than always expecting them to come to me," said Dobbs. "I want to speak to everyone so they know who I am, what I look like and how to reach me. I want them to know I am interested in each and every one of their offices and what they are able to handle."

Dobbs is concerned for the safety of the elderly and the vulnerable in the community.

"Child abuse cases need to be brought to the prosecutor's office and need to be taken seriously by the office," Dobbs said. "There are some cases that cannot and should not be handled as part of a divorce action."

When voters are deciding who to vote for in the prosecuting attorney race, Dobbs encourages voters to think about the attorney's role in the community.

"The prosecuting attorney doesn't just process cases, they affect a broad range of issues throughout the community," Dobbs said. "You have to be accessible because the public is the client. The prosecuting attorney only answers to the public and has to be held accountable."

To find out more about Dobbs and Makinen, voters are encouraged to visit www.pamdobbs.com or "Pam Dobbs for Houghton County Prosecutor" on Facebook for recordings of the candidate's forums and media interviews or speak to her directly by calling 483-3770.